Well I’m sure by now you’ve seen the bitter news that came out of Maine regarding yesterdays overturning of gay marriage in the state. I think the truly scaring thing that has come to my attention is the fact that my dismay over these over-turnings in Maine, and like the one in California, is that I’ve come to expect it. My usual deep sense of dissatisfaction and anger evaporated much more quickly than usual and I find it replaced by a feeling of being accustom to this type of civil rights encroachment. The disappointment is almost habitual now. It’s like a child walking into school being fully aware that a bully is going to push him into a locker and just accepts it, there’s no resistance lets it happen and gets on with the day. And to be quite honest I don’t like it and it scares me. I’m sure what I’m feeling is the tip of the iceberg as compared to those who live in Maine. I also suspect to some extent my Hope is a bit battered and bruised, perhaps even a bit numb or shell shocked considering my rights…our rights…seem to be in a perpetual state of fluctuation.

I’m going to revisit this post in a day or two. I’m mulling over a few things and it mayprobably will pretain to this. But before I put down how I feel I have to think about it and do some internal editing. Maine still makes me sad though 😦

Alright folks get ready tomorrow Maine will take the spotlight in the hotly debated topic of gay marriage. November 3rds election will decide whether or not Maine will fully accept gay marriage into state legislations. Link up and check out this article regarding elections that take place tomorrow.

I’m rooting for you Maine for obvious reasons. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Hello world. It’s so nice to be back. It has been so hectic at work I’ve been unable to blog appropriately to you all. Things have been going good! It feels so good to sit down and get to typing and seeing what has been going on in the blogging universe. Let’s catch you up with the happenings in Erie.

Frank and I have been seeing each other for just about three months. It has been great; he is a very nice guys and I enjoy the time we spend together. With that said dating hasn’t come without some rough patches. I’ve learned a whole bunch about juggling time between work, friends, family, and dating. It becomes even more difficult when Frank started meeting my friends. Our age difference still makes it awkward, at least for me, but what can I do. I can’t stop enjoying the company of my friends just because Frank is older than me/us. It has been a definite balancing act though. I try to spend specific days with Frank and specific days with friends…then toss in 8 hours of work and day to day errands and it gets a little exhausting. But all in all the dating is going well.

I just finished my summer schedule and literally every weekend this summer is filled. I have five weddings 3 of which I’m in and a variety of rehearsals dinners, ball games, and a cottage vacation with Lauren and her family. I’m burned out just thinking about it considering it begins the last weekend of this month.

Next Tuesday my Sister and I have tickets to go see Bruce Springsteen!!!!! I’m uber excited for it and going with my Sister. We are going to go early and try and get into the pit. I’m all about waiting in line for seven hours!!!!!!! Plus I have a half day of work on Monday then I head home to stay with my parents. It is going to be a great weekend!

Now for the really good stuff! Gay Marriage!!!! For those who haven’t been keeping up recent political movements Maine has legalized gay marriage! It is great step in our battle for equal rights. Not far behind Maine is New Hampshire. There are hammering out the fine details but I’ve heard that New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch would sign the bill if the churches had some security measures against legal recourse if they refuse to marry gay couples. Also on the march for rights is New York. Its own gay marriage bill has passed the house and will go to the Senate. This isn’t the first time New York has tried to pass a gay marriage bill (check the bottom of the link for the details).

But with all this great movement for our right to be married we do have to remember a couple things. First, we still have many, many states to see gay marriage bills passed. Including those states with mini-DOMA’s. Now is not the time to be complacent we need to still fight for our rights. Just because several states understand the idea behind progressing the rights others deserve there are many more that would like to keep marriage a purely hetersexual right. We Must Keep Fighting. Secondly, we cannot foreget other aspect of our fight for rights. We have to remember our transgendered community as well. Also we have to remember we can’t just fight for gay marriage we have to fight for all rights for our LGBT Community. I stumbled upon this article a few weeks ago and it is importantthat it be read. It notes the struggles that gay, binational couples/married couples have. You see while we hae some states that allow us to marry, federally we are not recognized as being married. Whcih means binational coules cannot recieive their green cards and live ina country that recognizes their marriage. This is an example of the differences between state and federally recognized rights. This leads me to my final thing to remember. These fights have been done at the state level not the federal level. At some point in time we will have to hold Obama, his Administration, and the current Congress to their promises of equalit and pass rights at the federal level. Otherwise our rights will memain a mishmas of gine and with-held rights. We deserve the full benefits of living in a country; this includes all rights provided by citizens and not just a buffet of rights.

Finally, last Thursday was my 1 year blog birthday. I want to thank all those of you out there that take the time to read my rants and raves. I love blogging and being part of such a wonderful and creative community. I especially want to give my blogroll a shout out! They help inspire and keep going. I love the discourse we have with one another. Everyone should check out those who are on my blogroll because they are awesome!!!! Woot woot!!!!!!!

Not only is the Matthew Shepard Act working its way though congress but now New Hampshire is pushing a gay marriage bill though the states governance. The Gay Marriage Bill passed the House but looked like it would be defeated in the Senate; the Bill was reworked and passed by the Senate. The Bill(s) have to be reviewed and reworked because two different bills were passed by the two branches of the New Hampshire’s government before Gov. John Lynch can sign it.

I will be interested to see how the Bill works if passed because the reworking of the Bill included language that allows clergy to decline marrying gay couples. I think that it is a provacative addition to the Bill. The change also allows couples to choose between the words “bride”, “groom”, or spouse on the marriage liscens.

New Hampshire already has civil unions and has become another State to f ight for marriage language even though civil unions are already granted. On one final note, from the article, it sounds as if Maine might be the next State to grant gay marriage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is some pretty exciting news!!!!!!!

What will be nice is that if the East Coast keeps this precedence up it will be a great help to Califonria’s Supreme Court when it reviews Prop 8.

I am really excited to see the gay marriage movement to be picking up steam. I didn’t realize how quickly it would pick up and it’s great!!!!!!!!!!!